The 17th Sabah State Election, held on November 29, 2025, signified a major shift in East Malaysian politics. The main implication of the result is the emergence of a local duopoly, where political competition is now primarily driven by local entities rather than federal franchises. The ruling Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS), led by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, secured 29 seats, retaining power as the vehicle for pragmatic autonomy. However, GRS fell short of a simple majority in the 73-seat assembly, necessitating a coalition. On the opposing side, Parti Warisan (Warisan), led by Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal, solidified its position with 25 seats, proving itself a formidable “Sabah First” alternative.

In stark contrast, peninsular-origin parties (Parti Semenanjung) suffered a catastrophic rejection. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s coalition, Pakatan Harapan (PH), was decimated, winning only one seat (Jamawi Jaafar from the People’s Justice Party, PKR). The most shocking result was the collapse of the Democratic Action Party (DAP), which lost all eight of its contested seats, surrendering its traditional urban strongholds in Kota Kinabalu to Warisan. Similarly, Barisan Nasional (BN) struggled, winning only six seats. The direct implication is undeniable: the electorate has decisively shifted confidence toward local Sabahan parties, punishing national coalitions for perceived subservience to Putrajaya.

Historically, until 2018, Sabah was considered BN’s “fixed deposit,” delivering reliable seat counts regardless of local neglect. Even after the 2018 General Election broke this hegemony, Sabah politics remained tethered to federal dynamics; local parties often functioned as “junior partners” to peninsular masters. The fall of the Warisan-led government in July 2020, which forced then-Chief Minister Shafie Apdal to dissolve the state assembly, is a clear example of the peninsula’s substantial impact. This crisis was........

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